Sat, 29 Jul 2006, 05:45 PM Top Alcohol Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

SONOMA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6959 Ken Kraus                               3 Steve Gasparrelli            
E1                   0.021  5.816 252.33     ****WINNER****  0.118  5.646 257.92
 Qualified:             #9  5.676 252.76                        #8  5.663 257.58

Kraus went in deep and then has a great light,a nd the lead until about 400 feet when Gasparrelli drives by him. Gasparrelli takes the win stripe by about 27 feet. Gasparrelli with his best pass of the weekend.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   76 John Weaver                             9 Bucky Austin                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.351  5.693 252.28                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #7  5.650 253.90                       #10  5.681 253.23

Austin was unable to get the car to fire and Weaver gets the freebie.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  756 Don Hudson                             62 Brian Hough                  
E1                   0.168  5.668 253.95     ****WINNER****  0.100  5.703 256.11
 Qualified:            #11  5.687 254.52                        #6  5.645 254.90

Hough with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win as Hudson runs his quickest pass of the weekend in a losing effort. Brian Hough's MOV: 0.0333 seconds (approximately 12 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   79 Sean Bellemeur                         75 Mark Woznichak               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.051  5.710 254.28                     0.133  8.094 111.62
 Qualified:            #12  5.699 253.33                        #5  5.642 255.53

Bellemeur is out of the gate first and never looks back for the win. Woznichak with problems and clicks it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  757 Larry Miner                           727 Ron August Jr                
E1                   0.064  5.788 252.80     ****WINNER****  0.040  5.676 257.58
 Qualified:            #16  5.755 252.14                        #1  5.588 256.94

August with a great light and right down the groove for the win light. August will give up lane choice to Gasparrelli in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 6237 Roger Bateman                          73 Doug Gordon                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.093  5.637 255.39                     0.055  5.723 251.58
 Qualified:             #3  5.611 254.52                       #14  5.722 250.00

Gordon gets the jump on the starting line, but Bateman has the difference made up by 500 feet and blast on through for the win. Roger Bateman's MOV: 0.0488 seconds (approximately 18 feet). Bateman will have lane choice over Hough in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   64 Clint Thompson                          6 Dennis Taylor                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.067  5.636 256.80                     0.096  5.779 251.63
 Qualified:            #13  5.722 254.14                        #4  5.626 251.77

Thompson is out of the gate first and runs his quickest pass of the weekend to take the win light and lane choice over Bellemeur in the next round. Taylor drove though tire shake, but couldn't chase him down.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  766 Jason Rupert                            4 Jay Payne                    
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.169  5.577 262.39
 Qualified:            #15  5.748 254.71                        #2  5.598 258.47

Payne gets the freebie here when Rupert doesn't show. Payne with the quickest pass of the weekend and the fastest pass in the history of Top Alcohol Funny Car and National mph record.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink